Hope

Chapter Sixteen

Nicholas' POV

The arrival of this girl-Kathryn- caused quiet a lot of commotion, which deprived me from my sleep. It didn't improve my mood. Not like anything does.

At least her screams have stopped, though I don't know what was causing them. I didn't care enough to ask.

But now I'm bored and could really use some exciting news.

I walk around the mansion, searching for Melissa or Marguerite. They're are basically my personal newspapers. My newspeople.

I pass Rob in the hallway and nod. I would've tried to get the news from him but he looks blue, and the last thing I need right now is a depressed man boring me with his sorrows.

Finally I find Melissa talking to her younger brother, Peter, fixing her her straight dark hair and leaning against the couch in the common room.

She looks up when I walk in. “You finally woke up,” she says.

“Must've been a depressing nine hours for you,” I say, flopping down on the couch next to Peter.

He looks very similar to his older sister but his features are soft and serene; features of someone who didn't go through what Melissa and I did. He was only two years when Melissa rescued him from abusive parents. She fled with him, only thirteen years old. But luckily for her Magnolia found her soon after.

“Peter, go get ready for school. It's getting late,” she says.

Peter groans but walks out, tripping on his feet before disappearing to his room.

“So, what's up?” I ask.

“I'm quiet tired; Magnolia had us working-” she starts but I cut her off.

“Not with you. What's going on with the girl?”

She rolls her green eyes. “She's stable, for now. Rob brought her barely alive from a Fire Juga bite.” She sits down on the silver couch opposite me.

“Fire Juga bite?” I whistle. “Heard those were the worst.”

“They aren't, actually. The pain is remarkable, yes, but it isn't worse than a Earth's Juga bite,” she says, her voice taking that annoying matter-of-fact tone.

“We aren't studying Anamalistics,” I snap. “How did Rob find her?”

“Apparently the Acutus boy-the youngest- brought her to Rob.”

“What?” I sit up. “I thought Rob didn't have any communication whatsoever with the Acutus.” My blood starts to boil when I mention the name and I almost spit.

“Well yes, but...” she leans closer so she can speak quieter. “Since Rob is Harold's half brother he was the only one who was less likely to rip his throat out.”

That's true. I'd do it without a moment's hesitation. “But how did he find her?” I lean in too. I have to admit; this is pretty interesting.

“Apparently they had a relationship, Kathryn and him. They have been together for four months, they say.”

“But it doesn't make any sense. How did they end up together? Wasn't she living in some small town in America?”

“Geez, Nick, you sound like a woman with no life.” She rolls her eyes once again.

“Basically I sound like an older version of you. So?” I urge.

She sighs. “Yes, she lived in America. But Victor sent him to 'kidnap' her or whatever.” She shrugs. “I don't know what took so long. Harold doesn't look bad at all. All he had to do was flash a dashing smile and she would've been all his.”

I lean back into the couch, digesting this.

“You two are busy gossiping about my niece when there is work to do,” a strong feminine voice sounds throughout the room. Magnolia.

I roll my eyes but Melissa hastily gets up and walks out with a nod to Magnolia.

I get up slower and start shuffling out when Magnolia speaks.

“Nicholas, I would like to have a word with you.”

I sigh before slowly turning around to face her.

“Yes?” I say with mock politeness.

“I would like you to train my niece,” she says.

“Train?” I raise an eyebrow.

“Yes. She is as inexperienced as a baby. Teach her how to use her powers. You learned how to do it on your own, I don't think you'll have any difficulty teaching Kathryn.” Her tone is indifferent.

I don't think I have a choice here and I hate that. I hate it even more when people bring up my past, especially Magnolia. I shrug. “'Kay.”

She nods and walks out.

Curiosity gets the best of me and I find myself walking up the stairs to where she-Kathryn- sleeps. I find Rob standing in front of a room and I guess that is it. The fact that she has to be guarded is ludicrous to me.

“I can't let anyone in. Magnolia's orders,” Rob says when I reach the door.

Everybody's so afraid of her it's sickening. “She also ordered me to 'train' her so I figured I have a right to see what I'm working with,” I say, reaching for the handle.

“Who. Who you're working with,” Rob says but he doesn't stop me.

I roll my eyes, turning the handle. “Whatever makes you sleep at night.”

The room is similar to the other rooms in this mansion; large with a king-sized bed in the middle. A large gold chandelier hung above on the high ceiling. Silver satin curtains which cover the floor-to-ceiling glass windows in this case and burning blue-green candles on each of the four corners.

I walk to the center of the room stopping at the edge of the bed.

I tilt my head to get a better look at her; her black hair sticks to her ivory skin with perspiration, her dry but rosy lips are turned down in a frown and she has several healing scars on her face, standing out on her pale skin.

She looks small; birdlike. And fragile.

I turn on my heel and walk out, stealing a final look at the clearly broken birdlike creature I'd have to guide.

(Double update :) sorry for the delay)